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Throughout history, Eszencia has been perhaps the world’s most revered, most legendary of all sweet wines (it even merits mention in Hungary’s national anthem). These extraordinary unicorn wines are more nectars than anything else. They are produced only a few times per decade in homeopathic quantities. Indeed, Eszencia was historically sold in apothecaries due to its health benefits! For this style, the Aszú (botrytised) grapes are collected berry-by-berry and left to rest in a wooden keg for 15 to 20 days without crushing. Only the weight of the berries themselves helps get the process moving.
So here we have the free-run juice of handpicked, 100% botrytised Furmint berries drizzled into 50-litre demijohns and left to ferment naturally in the estate’s dark cellars. The fermentation is languid, to say the least, with the highly concentrated, syrup-like liquid fermenting over many years. Eszencia can take up to four years to achieve a modest alcohol level of 2–3%, although many wines struggle to make it to even 1% ABV (only a micro-fermentation occurs on the top of the nectar). As you can imagine, it is rarely sold commercially! While the residual sugar level must be at least 450 g/L, levels of 900 g/L or more are not unheard of. Yet even considering the huge sugar content, these staggeringly pure nectars somehow remain mesmerisingly poised.
The 2007 release—all 920 half bottles—clocks in at 3.1% (!!) alcohol with 625 g/L residual sugar and 10 g/L acidity. With all respect to the tasting notes below, trying to describe these wines in words is futile; every time you take a sip, something new emerges. All we can say is that a drop or two on the tongue is all it takes to flood the senses with extraordinary, once-in-a-lifetime aromas and flavours. The intensity is otherworldly.
While this exquisite nectar is ready to drink, it could easily go on forever! It is best served lightly chilled at 15°C, and thanks to its high natural sugar content, it can be stored in the fridge for years after opening the bottle. As for pairing suggestions, Eszencia is best savoured on its own with your nearest and dearest. Each bottle comes with a complimentary crystal Eszencia spoon.